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Dark romance and romantasy podcast The Spicy Librarian is settling the score this week — which books deserve every bit of their hype, which ones we think the community has got wrong, and the criminally underrated reads that need to be on your TBR immediately. Dee and Katie are not holding back.

The romance community loves hype. We love hype. But this week on The Spicy Librarian Podcast we are asking the hard questions — does the hype hold up, and which books are being slept on while the algorithm screams about the same ten titles on repeat?

Across dark romance, romantasy, contemporary and cosy romance, we are sorting our shelves into three categories — appropriately hyped, overhyped, and criminally underrated. We have a lot of feelings about all of it. From your classic, Haunting Adeline by H.D. Carlton and the LORDS series to hidden gems like the Blackwood Institute by J Rose, the Lovesick Duet by Effie Campbell, and 24690 by A.A. Dark. This is the episode that is going to completely reorganise your TBR.

We're covering it all this week and hopefully shining a light on some hidden gems and giving credit to the ones we love for good reason. Whether you’re a dark, fantasy or contemporary girl, we guarantee you'll want to read at least one of these. 

If you disagree with any of our verdicts, and you will, get in the comments. We are ready.

 

Timestamps-

03:09 — Dark Romance: Hyped, Overhyped & Criminally Underrated 24:46 — Romantasy: Hyped, Overhyped & Criminally Underrated 48:33 — Contemporary: Hyped, Overhyped & Criminally Underrated 59:06 — Fluffy Reads: Hyped, Overhyped & Criminally Underrated

 

Books for this next week- 

Dark Romance: Edge of Darkness Trilogy — Leigh Rivers (dark romance, enemies to lovers) Little Stranger — Leigh Rivers (dark romance, taboo) The L.O.R.D.S Series — Chantelle Tessier (dark romance, mafia) Into Darkness Series — Navessa Allen (dark romance) Hollow Boys — Monty Jay (dark romance) Haunting Adeline & Hunting Adeline — H.D. Carlton (dark romance, stalker romance) The Painted Sinners Series — Elena Lawson (dark romance, indie) North Shore Series — Lola King (dark romance, indie) Lovesick Duet — Effie Campbell (dark romance, contemporary) Blackwood Institute — J. Rose (dark romance, why choose) Collected Works — C.J. Riggs (erotic horror, dark romance) 24690 — A.A. Dark (dark romance, taboo)

Romantasy: Dire Bound & Fury Bound — Sable Sorenson (romantasy, fae romance) One Dark Window & Two Twisted Crowns — Rachel Gillig (romantasy, dark fantasy) When the Moon Hatched — Sarah A. Parker (romantasy, slow burn) Kiss of the Basilisk & Between Two Kings — Lindsay Straube (romantasy) A Forbidden Alchemy — Stacey McEwan (romantasy, high fantasy) The Bloodwing Academy Series — Briar Boleyn (romantasy) Quicksilver — Callie Hart (romantasy, enemies to lovers) Daggermouth — H.M. Wolfe (dark romantasy, dystopian) The Games Gods Play — Abigail Owen (romantasy, Greek mythology) The Wolf King Series — Lauren Palphreyman (romantasy) City of Gods & Monsters — Kayla Edwards (romantasy, urban fantasy) Blood and Steel & Iron and Embers — Helen B. Scheuerer (romantasy, high fantasy) Crown me Dead / Crown me Yours — Liv Zander (dark romantasy) Feather so Vicious / Shadow so Cruel — Liv Zander (dark romantasy) A Bargain So Bloody — Vasilisa Drake (dark romantasy, indie) Lady of Darkness — Melissa K. Roehrich (romantasy, dark fantasy) To Cage a Wild Bird — Brooke Fast (romantasy, dystopian)

Contemporary: The Off Campus Series — Elle Kennedy (contemporary romance, sports romance) Heated Rivalry — Rachel Reid (contemporary romance, MM romance, sports romance) Bridgerton Series — Julia Quinn (historical romance) Blade Kings Series — Ruth Stirling (contemporary romance, sports romance) Wishbone Tattoos Series — Lizzie Stanley (contemporary romance, indie)

Fluffy Reads: Nightshade & Daybreak — Autumn Woods (romantasy, slow burn) The Love Hypothesis — Ali Hazelwood (contemporary romance, STEM romance) Bride & Mate — Ali Hazelwood (monster romance, contemporary) Archer's Voice — Mia Sheridan (contemporary romance, slow burn) It Ends with Us — Colleen Hoover (contemporary romance) Never Never — Colleen Hoover (contemporary romance, mystery) Everyday — David Levithan (YA, contemporary) Salt and Sweet & Spicy Honey — Juno Rose North (contemporary romance, indie) Just Another Dead Boy — Kelly McCaughrain (YA, dystopian) Torn & Tied — Carian Cole (contemporary, forbidden love)

 

If you loved this episode follow the podcast so you never miss a drop, leave us a review — it genuinely means the world — and head to our website or Instagram to tell us which books you think are overhyped or criminally underrated. We'll see you next Thursday. 🖤

Dark romance and romantasy podcast The Spicy Librarian is back — and this week Dee and Katie are being dropped into their favourite books, whether they like it or not. Would you rather learn magic or warfare? Lead armies or strategies? Forced proximity or enemies to lovers? They don't have to agree. They do have to justify.

This week on The Spicy Librarian Podcast, we are asking the questions that actually matter. Katie and Dee are being dropped headfirst into the worlds of their favourite dark romance and romantasy books — and they have to choose.

High-stakes wars or slow-burn romance? Intense physical challenges or forbidden magic systems? Lead the army or mastermind the strategy from the shadows? Face your enemies-to-lovers moment or suffer through forced proximity until someone breaks first?

Every answer has to be justified. Every disagreement has to be defended. And there are a lot of disagreements.

This is the episode for every reader who has ever finished a book and immediately thought — I know exactly what I would do in that situation. You probably wouldn't. Neither would we. But we had a very good time pretending.

Books Mentioned- 

Games God’s Play- Abigail Owens (Romantasy, Greeks Mythology)

Fourth Wing- Rebecca Yarros (Romantasy, Enemies to Lovers)

A Court of Mist and Fury - S. J Maas (Romantasy)

A Court of Silver Flame- S. J. Maas (Romantasy, Enemies to Lovers)

A House of Earth and Blood- S. J. Maas (Urban Romantasy) 

Kingdom of Ash- S J Maas ( Fantasy) 

Quicksilver/ Brimstone- Callie Hart (Romantasy, Enemies to Lovers)

Auction- Sadie Kincaid (Dark Romance)

Lights Out- Navessa Allen (Dark Romance)

Under Yours Scars- Ariel Anderson (Dark Romance, Indie)

Haunting Adeline- H D Carlton (Dark Romance)

A Touch of Darkness- Scarlet St. Clair (Romantasy, Greek Retelling) 

Nightshade/ Daybreak- Autumn Woods (Dark Academia) 

Starside- Alex Aster (Romantasy) 

Dire Bound- Sable Sorenson (Romantasy) 

Heated Rivalry- Rachel Reid (Sports Romance, Queer)

Powerless - Elsie Silver (Sports Romance)

The Dorians- Nick Cutter (Horror)

Incidents Around The House- Josh Malerman (Horror)

Little Stranger- Leigh Rivers (Dark Romance, Taboo)

White Rose Painted Red- Elena Lawson (Dark Romance, Why Choose, Indie) 

Daggermouth- H M Wolfe (Dystopian Romance) 

To Cage A Wild Bird- Brooke Fast (Dystopian Romance)

 

Timestamps- 

00:00 Intro and meeting Yob the Bear

5:09 - Would You Rather

32:39- Continued Chaos

38:39- Katie’s Driving History

40:05- Back to Would You Rather

1:07- Goodbye and See you Next week xo

 

If you loved this episode follow the podcast so you never miss a drop, leave us a review — it genuinely means the world — and head to our website or Instagram to send in your own would you rather questions for a future episode. We'll see you next Thursday. 🖤

Dark romance and romantasy podcast The Spicy Librarian is back with the August reading roundup — summer is over, the ber months are here, and we read an unreasonable amount of books. We're debriefing our summer reads, defending our choices, and getting very hyped for the MaasVerse deep dive coming in September ahead of a vey exciting release…

Summer is drawing to a close, holidays have been had, and we are ready to welcome the ber months with open arms and a very long reading list.

This week on The Spicy Librarian Podcast we are debriefing everything we read over August, looking ahead to our MaasVerse deep dive, and already getting hyped for all things autumnal.

Katie opens with a passionate defence of Nightshade & Daybreak by Autumn Woods — a dark academia slow burn that divided the room and we are still not over it. Then we get into the full August roundup covering dark romance, contemporary, thriller, romantasy and everything in between — from Grave Matter by Karina Halle and Body Count by Codie Crowley to Twisted Hate by Ana Huang, Dominion by Jean Kwok, and Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman.

Then we turn our attention to September — a deep dive into the MaasVerse is coming, and we cannot wait.

We're also discussing the August book club picks across dark romance, romantasy and contemporary, and dropping the September book club lineup, so stay tuned!

Timestamps

06:08 — Nightshade & Daybreak: Katie's Defence 11:26 — Welcome to the Ber Months 16:29 — August Reading Roundup 35:12 — September TBR & The MaasVerse Deep Dive 47:24 — August Book Club: The Voice, Dominion & How to Kidnap a Fake Date 50:32 — September Book Club: A Bargain So Bloody, Friends with Monsters & Just Another Dead Boy

 

Books Discussed:

Nightshade & Daybreak — Autumn Woods (dark academia, slow burn) Grave Matter — Karina Halle (dark romance, paranormal) Us Dark Few & Us Deadly Few — Alexis Patton (dark romance) Twisted Hate — Ana Huang (enemies to lovers, contemporary romance) To Cage a Wild Bird — Brooke Fast (dystopian, romantasy) Dominion — Jean Kwok (romantasy) Just Another Dead Boy — Kelly McCaughrain (contemporary) The Only One Left — Riley Sager (thriller) How to Kidnap a Fake Date — Effie Campbell (dark romance, fake dating) Broken Country — Clare Leslie Hall (literary fiction) The Ghost Writer — Julie Clark (thriller) The Chain — Adrian McKinty (thriller) Thirst Trap — Gráinne O'Hare (contemporary romance, queer) So I Met This Guy — Alexandra Potter (contemporary romance) The Lure of Wolves and Whispers — Amanda Connolly (romantasy) Slip Stream — Madge Maril (sports, contemporary) First Flight Final Fall — C.W. Farnsworth (contemporary romance, sports romance) Body Count — Codie Crowley (horror, queer) Here Lies a Vengeful Bitch — Codie Crowley (horror) Friends with Monsters — Albany Walker (dark romance) Tide — Carian Cole (dark romance) Daddy Issues — Kate Goldbeck (contemporary romance) You Girls Play Nice — K.D. Aldyn (thriller) Dungeon Crawler Carl 1, 2 & 3 — Matt Dinniman (fantasy, LitRPG) Yesteryear — Caro Claire Burke (literary fiction) Around the World in 80 Dates — Jasmine Burke (contemporary) The Voice — Maggie Ray Jones (contemporary romance)

August Book Club: The Voice — Maggie Ray Jones (contemporary romance) Dominion — Jean Kwok (romantasy) How to Kidnap a Fake Date — Effie Campbell (dark romance, comedy)

September Book Club: A Bargain So Bloody — Vasilisa Drake (dark romantasy) Friends with Monsters — Albany Walker (dark romance, paranormal) Just Another Dead Boy — Kelly McCaughrain (contemporary)

 

If you loved this episode follow the podcast so you never miss a drop, leave us a review — it genuinely means the world — and head to our website or Instagram for more details on everything we have coming up including the MaasVerse deep dive. We'll see you next Thursday. 🖤

Dark romance and romantasy podcast, The Spicy Librarian is back — and this week we are confessing our deepest, darkest reading secrets, exposing the community, and serving as judge, jury and executioner on your most controversial bookish takes. Court is in session.

We have things to confess. You have things to confess. And somebody has to hold us all accountable — so this week on The Spicy Librarian Podcast we are doing exactly that.

In the confessional, we get into our own deep dark reading secrets. The books we pretended to love, the ones we secretly hated, the ones we read in one sitting and told nobody about. The bookish habits we own, the ones we're ashamed of and the ones we just can't quit. We're covering Spark of the Everflame by Penn Cole, Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros, The Never List by Jade Presley, Black Rose by Jade Presley and Elena Lawson, Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller, and Noughts and Crosses by Malorie Blackman and some of what comes out of this confessional are wild and shocking. Even to us.

Then the community goes on trial and *we* go on trial. You submitted your most controversial bookish confessions and Katie and Dee are ruling as judge, jury and executioner on every single one. 

No one is safe. We are not sorry.

 

Timestamps

1:29 - Confession Opens

26:57 - We offer you our confessions 

36:52 - Questions from the community

Books Mentioned

Spark of the Everflame — Penn Cole (romantasy, slow burn) Fourth Wing — Rebecca Yarros (romantasy, enemies to lovers) The Never List — Jade Presley (dark romance)

Black Heart Painted Gold — Elena Lawson (dark romance, indie, why chose) Song of Achilles — Madeline Miller (historical fiction, MM romance, greek retelling) Noughts and Crosses — Malorie Blackman (YA, dystopian) Daggermouth — H.D. Wolfe (dark romance) ACOTAR — Sarah J. Maas (romantasy, fae romance) If you loved this episode follow the podcast so you never miss a drop, leave us a review — it genuinely means the world — and head to our website or Instagram to submit your own confessions for a future episode. We'll see you next Thursday. 🖤

Dark romance, romantasy and everything in between. The Spicy Librarian Podcast is back with a post-holiday reading debrief nobody asked for and every book adaptation we are all having big feelings about. Dee and Katie read an unreasonable amount of books. We are not sorry.

We planned an episode. We did not do that episode. What we did instead was sit down, debrief everything we read over the summer, and spiral into a very passionate conversation about the book adaptations that need to happen immediately and the ones that are already in the works.

Katie brings us dark romance, contemporary and romantasy reads including Grave Matter by Karina Halle, Nightshade & Daybreak by Autumn Woods, and Twisted Hate by Ana Huang — enemies to lovers, slow burn, and a slow creeping dread that we absolutely did not see coming.

Dee went everywhere — from dark romance to fantasy to literary fiction — covering Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman, Body Count by Codie Crowley, First Flight Final Fall by C.W. Farnsworth, and Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke among many others.

Then, we get into adaptations — Haunting Adeline and Hunting Adeline by H.D. Carlton, the MindFck Series* by S.T. Abby, Verity by Colleen Hoover, Boys of Tommen by Chloe Walsh and Incidents Around the House by Josh Malerman. Which ones are happening, which ones need to happen, and which ones we would personally executive produce given half a chance.

Timestamps:

03:12 — Katie's Post Holiday Reading Debrief 13:40 — Dee's Post Holiday Reading DeeBrief 40:30 — Book Adaptations In The Works...

Books Discussed:

Katie's Reads: Grave Matter — Karina Halle (dark romance, paranormal) Nightshade & Daybreak — Autumn Woods (dark academia, slow burn) RoofBoy — Jess Blatchley (contemporary) The Mad Wife — Megan Church (dark fiction) Twisted Hate — Ana Huang (enemies to lovers, contemporary romance)

Dee's Reads: Dungeon Crawler Carl — Matt Dinniman (fantasy, LitRPG) You Girls Play Nice — K.D. Aldyn Tied — Carian Cole (dark romance) To Cage a Wild Bird — Brooke Fast (romantasy) First Flight Final Fall — C.W. Farnsworth (contemporary romance, sports romance) A Bargain So Bloody — Vasilisa Drake (dark romance) Slip Stream — Madge Maril (indie contemporary) Body Count — Codie Crowley (dark romance) The Lure of Wolves and Whispers — Amanda Connolly (romantasy) The Ghost Writer — Julie Clark (thriller) Us Dark Few & Us Deadly Few — Alexis Patten (dark romance) So I Met This Guy — Alexandra Potter (contemporary romance) Just Another Dead Boy — Kelly McCaughrain (contemporary) Thirst Trap — Gráinne O'Hare (contemporary romance) Yesteryear — Caro Claire Burke (literary fiction) Around the World in 80 Dates — Jasmine Burke (contemporary)

Adaptations Discussed: Haunting Adeline & Hunting Adeline — H.D. Carlton (dark romance) MindF*ck Series — S.T. Abby (dark romance, psychological thriller) Yesteryear — Caro Claire Burke (literary fiction) Never Let Me Go — Kazuo Ishiguro (literary fiction) Boys of Tommen — Chloe Walsh (contemporary romance) Verity — Colleen Hoover (dark romance, thriller) Incidents Around the House — Josh Malerman (horror)

If you loved this episode follow the podcast so you never miss a drop, leave us a review — it genuinely means the world — and head to our website or Instagram for more details on everything we have coming up. We'll see you next Thursday. 🖤

This week on The Spicy Librarian Podcast, Katie and Dee were forced to played bookish 20 questions. Post it notes on foreheads, sunglasses on, eyebrows firmly raised, and this is genuinely the closest we have ever come to a full falling out. You are welcome.

*If you want to play along, listen on audio, or for spoilers, head to the YouTube!* 

We want to be clear. We are fine. We are friends. But this episode tested us in ways we did not anticipate and we are still processing.

Bookish 20 questions. Where you wear the book on your head and ask yes or no questions until you figure it out, sounds innocent, sounds simple, sounds easy. It is not. Not when the books are Penpal by J.T. Geissinger, Credence by Penelope Douglas, The Wolf King by Lauren Palphreyman, Hooked by Emily McIntire, One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig, and No for an Answer by C.J. Riggs. Not with these two. Not today.

Three rounds. Multiple near misses. One almost-falling-out. Post it notes, sunglasses, and more raised eyebrows than we promised. This is the most chaotic episode we have made and we stand by every second of it.

 

Timestamps:

00:00 — Introduction & Rules 2:02 — Round One 17:50— Round Two

36:10— Round Three 43:54 — Catch Up & Debrief

 

If you loved this episode follow the podcast so you never miss a drop, leave us a review -- it genuinely means the world -- and head to our website or Instagram for more details on everything we have coming up. We'll see you next Thursday. 🖤

The July reading roundup and book club is here! Between Dee and Katie, they've read what feels like half the internet this month. Dark romance, romantasy, contemporary, and everything in between. Buckle up, your TBR is about to suffer beautifully.

July was a big reading month. Katie and Dee take you through everything they've read this month — from indie darlings to highly anticipated sequels, spicy contemporaries to romantasy worlds we do not want to leave — before we get into the book club picks that had us absolutely feral.

This month's book club brought us Crown Me Dead / Crown Me Yours by Liv Zander for dark romance, Daughter of No Worlds by Carissa Broadbent for romantasy, and Archer's Voice by Mia Sheridan for contemporary — and we had a lot of big feelings about all three, a lot.

We've also got news and updates dropping, so stay tuned for that, and a sneak peek at what we have coming in August including Dominion by Jean Kwok, How to Kidnap a Fake Date by Effie Campbell, and The Voice by Maggie Ray Jones.

Timestamps:

00:09 — Katie's July Reading Roundup 05:46 — Dee's July Reading Roundup 27:18 — Updates & News 34:08 — Book Club: Dark Romance — Crown Me Dead / Crown Me Yours by Liv Zander 44:41 — Book Club: Romantasy — Daughter of No Worlds by Carissa Broadbent 48:06 — Book Club: Contemporary — Archer's Voice by Mia Sheridan

Books Discussed in This Episode:

Crown Me Dead / Crown Me Yours — Liv Zander Daughter of No Worlds — Carissa Broadbent Roanoke Girls — Amy Engel Sleuths — Samantha Mooney White Rose Painted Red — Elena Lawson Nightshade & Daybreak — Autumn Woods Direbound — Sable Sorenson Daggermouth — H.M. Wolfe Black Heart Painted Gold — Elena Lawson Salt and Sweet — Juno Rose North Spicy Honey — Juno Rose North Step Brother Bear — J.M. Fairy To the Depths — Beth Rhydo Dominion — Jean Kwok Done and Dusted & Swift and Saddled — Lyla Sage The Voice — Maggie Ray Jones Eat Your Heart Out — J.N. Bamforth The Dorians — Nick Cutter Black Sunshine & The Blood is Love — Karina Halle Tornado, Still & This is Fine — Lizzie Stanley Archer's Voice — Mia Sheridan

If you loved this episode follow the podcast so you never miss a drop, leave us a 5* review — it genuinely means the world — and head to our website or Instagram for more details on everything we have coming up. We'll see you next Thursday. 🖤

This week on The Spicy Librarian Podcast we are coming straight to you -- answering your bookish questions, giving you the latest shop and event updates. Then Dee opens the clinic to personally prescribe your next five star read. Come in, sit down, she'll see you now.

 

Consider this your official TSL check in. This week D and Katie are doing what they do best — yapping — but with purpose. We're going through your questions, the ones you've been sending in about books, the shop, upcoming events, and everything in between, and we are answering all of it.

Then Dee opens the book clinic. You tell us what you loved, what you hated, what tropes make you feral and which ones send you running — and Dee will prescribe your next five star read. No appointment necessary. Results may include an immediately extended TBR and zero regrets.

If you want to be featured in a future episode, send in your reading profile and let Dee do her thing.

If you loved this episode follow the podcast so you never miss a drop, leave us a review — it genuinely means the world — and head to our website or Instagram to send in your questions or book clinic requests. We'll see you next Thursday. 🖤

 

Timestamps:

02:45 — Katie's Reading Recap 07:24 — Dee's Reading Recap 17:52 — Community Questions & Recommendations 32:42 — Shop Q&A 36:28 — Book Recommendations Clinic

 

Crown Me Dead / Crown Me Yours — Liv Zander The One — John Marrs

Spicy Honey — Juno Rose North Eat Your Heart Out — J.M. Banforth Daughter of No Worlds — Carissa Broadbent Stepbrother Bear — G.M. Fairy Done & Dusted — Lyla Sage Swift & Saddled — Lyla Sage To the Depths — Beth Rhydo Dominion — Jean Kwok The Voice — Maggie Ray Jones

Heated Rivalry — Rachel Reid Feathers So Vicious — Liv Zander Magnolia Parks — Jessa Hastings Credence — Penelope Douglas What We Need — Lizzie Stanley The Auction — Sadie Kincaid Confessions — Kanae Minato Under Your Scars — Ariel Anderson Shatter Me — Tahereh Mafi Angela's Ashes — Frank McCourt Blackwood Institute — J. Rose

Ballad of the Fallen Dragons — Sarah A. Parker Dominion — Jean Kwok She Who Holds My Wrath — Shannon V. Velzen Crown Me Dead / Crown Me Yours — Liv Zander To the Depths — Beth Rhydo Birthday Girl — Penelope Douglas Older — Jennifer Hartmann Haunting Adeline — H.D. Carlton Blackwood Institute — J. Rose The Poison Daughter — Sheila Masterson Vanguard — Karina Halle A Forbidden Alchemy & A Forsaken Prophecy — Stacey McEwan Heavenly Bodies & Fallen Stars — Imani Erriu This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me — Ilona Andrews Don't Eat Your Human Boyfriend — Lily Mayne Eat Your Heart Out & Formaldehyde — J.M. Banforth How to Kidnap a Fake Date — Effie Campbell A Soul to Keep & A Soul to Heal — Opal Reyne

F*ck, Marry, Kill but make it bookish — this week on The Spicy Librarian Podcast we are making the hard decisions about our favourite MMCs and the series we love most. One night stand, forever, or goodbye. Nothing and no one is safe. 

This week we are playing the most chaotic, most emotionally devastating version of F*ck, Marry, Kill you have ever witnessed. We are talking about our favourite MMCs — seriously thinking through the actual implications of a marriage, a one night stand, and yes, murdering our beloved book boyfriends within their own universes and in ours. We took this very seriously. Possibly too seriously. 

Then we turn it on the series. Which one could we re-read forever and never get tired of? Which one do we have one read left in us? And which series — as much as it destroys us to say it — do we have to say goodbye to for good? The answers may surprise you. They surprised us.

If you shouted at your phone, your TV, your partner, or a complete stranger on the bus — we want to know. Get in the comments and tell us where we went wrong. We can take it.

 

If you loved this episode follow the podcast so you never miss a drop, leave us a review — it genuinely means the world — and head to our website or Instagram for more details on everything we have coming up. We'll see you next Thursday. 🖤

 

Timestamps:

00:34 — Updates & The Spicy Librarian Live 02:59 — Fck, Marry, Kill: MMC Edition 46:26 — Fck, Marry, Kill: Book Series Edition

 

Books & Series Mentioned:

Throne of Glass — Sarah J. Maas A Court of Thorns and Roses — Sarah J. Maas Crescent City — Sarah J. Maas Fourth Wing — Rebecca Yarros Quicksilver & Brimstone — Callie Hart Edge of Darkness — Leigh Rivers Little Stranger & Little Liar — Leigh Rivers Psychotic Obsession — Leigh Rivers Haunting Adeline, Does it Hurt? & Where's Molly — H.D. Carlton Daughter of No Worlds, Serpent & the Wings of Night & Six Scorched Roses — Carissa Broadbent Blood and Ash — Jennifer L. Armentrout Book of Azrael — Amber Nicole Smith Spark of the Everflame — Penn Cole White Rose Painted Red — Blake & Elena Lawson The Voice — Maggie Ray Jones Chestnut Springs — Elsie Silver Miles High Series — T.L. Swan Magnolia Parks Universe — Jessa Hastings Feathers So Vicious & Shadow So Cruel — Liv Zander Crown Me Dead & Crown Me Yours — Liv Zander Heated Rivalry — Rachel Reid Daggermouth — H.D. Wolfe Billionaire's Boy Club — Lauren Asher

 

This week on The Spicy Librarian Podcast we're sitting down with one of the UK's most exciting up and coming indie authors — Juno Rose. We're talking her debut novel Salt and Sweet, her next release Spicy Honey, an exclusive look at what's coming next, and of course things get completely unhinged along the way.

 

Juno Rose is a London-based indie author writing high heat contemporary romance with heart, humour, and chemistry that absolutely jumps off the page. Her debut Salt and Sweet — a brother's best friend, forbidden romance following Emmy as she rebuilds her life with a secret spicy bucket list and the very last man she should want — has taken the indie romance community by storm, and we are completely obsessed.

This week we sit down with Juno for an exclusive chat about Salt and Sweet, her next release Spicy Honey, and a little insider look at what she has coming after that. We also do what we do best — drag her into some thoroughly unhinged bookish games — and get a real insight into what it's like building an indie romance career in the UK right now.

If you haven't read Juno Rose yet, consider this your very loud sign to start immediately.

 

Timestamps:

00:01 — Introduction 04:24 — Juno's Books: Salt and Sweet, Spicy Honey & What's Coming Next 09:20 — Juno's Story: Life as a UK Indie Romance Author 19:12 — Exclusive Tea: What Juno Has in the Pipeline 24:29 — One Star Review Defence 31:40 — Five Star Review Defence 37:06 — HSF 40:21 — Unpopular Opinion 46:12 —  Roundup & Bye

 

CTA:

If you loved this episode follow the podcast so you never miss a drop, leave us a review — it genuinely means the world — and head to our website or Instagram for more details on everything we have coming up. We'll see you next Thursday. 🖤

 

Books Discussed in This Episode:

Salt and Sweet — Juno Rose Spicy Honey — Juno Rose Dawn of the North / Road of Bones — Demi Winters Kidnapped by Krampus — Emily Shore Five Brothers — Penelope Douglas Sugar Life Series — Harley Madison

The June reading roundup is here and we went wide this month — dark romance, romantasy, contemporary, beachy reads, and everything in between.

Dee and Katie are back with the book club picks, the reads that wrecked them, and the ones that surprised them most. Your TBR will not survive.

Yes we know it's not June anymore. 

This month's book club brought us Branded by Saffron A. Kent, A Stage Set for Villains by Shannon J. Spann, and Pieces of the Night by Jennifer Hartmann— a dark western romance, a NYT bestselling romantasy that has taken over BookTok, and an angsty rockstar romance that absolutely wrecked us. Three very different books, three very big feelings. 

Beyond book club, June was the month we went everywhere. We're talking Emily Henry, Colleen Hoover, and Carissa Broadbent for the contemporary and fantasy fans, Karina Halle for those who like their romance with a side of chaos, and an indie pick that needs to be on your radar immediately. June gave us range and we have absolutely no regrets.

Timestamps:

00:00 — Dee's June Reading Roundup 18:30 — Katie's Reading Roundup & Pod Live 26:36 — Book Club: Pieces of the Night by Jennifer Hartmann — Contemporary Romance 34:05 — Book Club: A Stage Set for Villains — Romantasy Deep Dive 36:42 — Book Club: Branded by Saffron A. Kent — Dark Romance Discussion 42:32 — HSF: Cringe Reading Moment of the Week

If you loved this episode follow the podcast so you never miss a drop, leave us a review — it genuinely means the world — and head to our website or Instagram for more details on everything we have coming up. We'll see you next Thursday. 🖤

 

Books Discussed in This Episode:

Branded — Saffron A. Kent A Stage Set for Villains — Shannon J. Spann Pieces of the Night — Jennifer Hartmann Regretting You — Colleen Hoover Harvest Season — Bryn Weaver Light Wielder: Fire & Metal Book Two — Rachel Schneider Death Valley — Karina Halle Vanguard — Karina Halle Archer's Voice — Mia Sheridan People We Meet on Vacation — Emily Henry White Rose Painted Gold — Elena Lawson Black Heart Painted Gold — Elena Lawson Direbound — Sable Sorenson Furybound — Sable Sorenson The Dorians — Nick Cutter Most of All You — Mia Sheridan A Great Big Beautiful Life — Emily Henry Crown Me Dead Crown Me Yours — Liv Zander The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo — Taylor Jenkins Reid Daughter of No Worlds — Carissa Broadbent Serpent & the Wings of Night — Carissa Broadbent Older — Jennifer Hartmann Eat Your Heart Out — G.M. Banforth

 

Bookish Bingo lands on The Spicy Librarian Podcast this week — and it turns out Dee and Katie are not even a little bit competitive. From sports romance to special editions, historical romance to books that made us ugly cry, we're covering every square on the card.

 

This week join Dee and Katie for a game of Bookish Bingo — who we found aren't at all competitive. We're working through the full card, from books read in one sitting to series we're still in the middle of, plots that floored us, characters who share our names, and the very specific joy of a book you found because you spotted a stranger reading it.

Every square is a recommendation, a confession, or a chaotic tangent — sometimes all three. If your own TBR survives this episode intact we genuinely respect it.

 

Timestamps:

00:00 — Sulking Over Bingo Dabbers 01:49 — Katie's Reading Week 02:35 — Dee's Reading Week 10:14 — Bingo Rules 11:55 — A Book Read in One Sitting 13:49 — A Book Set on an Island 15:24 — A Book That Was Borrowed 18:35 — A Special Edition 20:18 — Historical Romance Picks 21:48 — A Non Fiction Book 25:03 — A Plot Twist That Got Us 26:19 — A Book on Your TBR Right Now 32:30 — Sports Romance Recommendations 34:41 — A Book That Made Us Cry 36:52 — A Book We Reviewed 42:06 — Book to Screen Adaptations 43:10 — A Book You Read Because You Saw Someone Else Reading It 45:42 — A Character With the Same Name as Yours 47:24 — A Title With a Number in It 48:13 — A Book That's Been Annotated 49:38 — A Book You've Won 50:27 — A Series You're in the Middle Of 51:18 — A Title With a Colour in It 54:14 — Bingo Victory

If you loved this episode follow the podcast so you never miss a drop, leave us a review — it genuinely means the world — and head to our website or Instagram for more details on everything we have coming up. We'll see you next Thursday. 🖤

Books Discussed in This Episode:

Tourist Season — Bryn Weaver The Butcher and the Blackbird — Bryn Weaver Light Wielder — Rachel Schneider Wild Card — Karina Halle Direbound — Sable Sorenson Crown Me Dead / Crown Me Yours — Liv Zander Daughter of No Worlds — Carissa Broadbent Archer's Voice — Mia Sheridan Most of All You — Mia Sheridan Three Nights in Stockholm — Elizabeth Hardy The Dorians — Nick Cutter Grave Matter — Karina Halle Yesteryear — Caro Claire Burke Starfallen — Fern Cole Hollow — M.L. Burns Innamorata — Ava Reid The Games Gods Play — Abigail Owen The Tattooist of Auschwitz — Heather Morris The Secret — Rhonda Byrne Atomic Habits — James Clear Feathers So Vicious — Liv Zander Poison Daughter — Sheila Masterson Here One Moment — Liane Moriarty Flawless — Elsie Silver Perfect Deke — Ruth Stirling Heated Rivalry — Rachel Reid What We Need — Lizzie Stanley The Long Game — Rachel Reid Death Valley — Karina Halle The Trap — Catherine Ryan Howard Remarkably Bright Creatures — Shelby Van Pelt Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow — Gabrielle Zevin A Little Life — Hanya Yanagihara One Dark Window — Rachel Gillig Two Twisted Crowns — Rachel Gillig Of Mice and Men — John Steinbeck Sleuths — Samantha Moody Throne of Glass — Sarah J. Maas Edge of Darkness — Leigh Rivers Red Rising — Pierce Brown Red Queen — Victoria Aveyard

Your ultimate guide to romantasy and dark romance is here. The Spicy Librarian Podcast's Book Recs 101 is the episode every new and seasoned spicy reader needs. Whether you're just starting out or ready for the deep end, Dee and Katie have you completely covered.

Hold on to your TBRs because this week we are sitting down for a full hour of book recommendations- and we are not sorry about what we have done to your reading list. From gentle entry points to the books that will absolutely ruin you, we're covering the full spectrum of romantasy and dark romance in one gloriously chaotic episode.

We break it down into three categories- start me gently, middle of the road, and drop me in at the deep end. We cover the first romantasy and dark romance reads you should pick up, where to go next once you're hooked, and what you graduate to when you are ready to go full feral reader. Consider this your official reading roadmap.

Our TBRs have extended by approximately 100 books as a result of this conversation and we regret absolutely nothing. This is part one; buckle up.

00:00 — Introduction and Etsy Witches for the Weather 01:44 — Katie's Reading Recap: What's on Her TBR This Week 04:04 — Dee's Reading Recap: What Dee Has Been Reading 13:01 — HSF: Cringe Reading Moment of the Week 16:36 — Book Recs 101: Your Listener Requests Answered 26:25 — Romantasy Recs: The Best Books to Pick Up First 30:27 — Romantasy Recs: What to Read Next 33:33 — Romantasy Recs: High Fantasy Picks for the Deep End 35:47 — Dark Romance Recs: The Best Books to Start With 40:00 — Dark Romance Recs: Where to Go Next 48:21 — Dark Romance Recs: Pitch Black — The Deep End 52:28 — Wrapping Up: Come See Us & Send in Your Recommendations

 

If you loved this episode follow the podcast so you never miss a drop, leave us a review — it genuinely means the world — and head to our website or Instagram for more details on everything we have coming up. We'll see you next Thursday. 🖤

 

Books mentioned; 

Bitter Sweet- Hattie Williams

Crown me Yours- Liv Zanders

Death Valley- Karina Halle

Vanguard- Karina Halle

Branded- Saffron A Kent

White Rose painted Red- Blake Lawson and ELENA. LAWSON

Blood of Hercules- Jasmine Mas

The games God play- Abigail Owens

Such a Dirty Girl- Effy Campbell

Hot Creep series- Effy Campbell

Sugar Baby, Good Girl, Brat Baby- Harley Madison

Secret Club, Secret Job, Secret Proposal, Secret Stalker- Ruby Sky

Starside- Alex Aster

Blood and Steel Series- Helen Scheuerer

Den of Vipers- KA Knight

White Rose painted Red- Blake Lawson and ELENA. LAWSON

Blackwood Institute- J Rose

Credence- Penelope Douglas

Birthday Girl- Penelope Douglas

Sabre Security- J Rose

When the Moon Hatched- Sarah A Parker

The Knight and the Moth- Rachel Gillig

Bad Bishop- LJ Shen

Twister Pawn- LG Shen

Made Mad Series- Danielle Lori

Crescent City- S J Maas

The Devil Night Series- Penelope Douglas

City of Gods and Monsters- Kayla Edwards

A Court of Thrones and Roses- S J Maas

Servant of Earth- Sarah Hawley

A Witches Guide to Fake Dating a Demon- Sarah Hawley

A Ship of Bones and Teeth- Karina Hallie

One dark window, Two twisted Crowns- Rachel Gillig

Enchantra Phantasma- Kaylie Smith

Fourth Wing- Rebecca Yarros

When the Moon Hatched- Sarah A Parker

From Blood and Ash- Jennifer L. Armentrout

QuickSilver- Callie Hart

Lights Out- Navessa Allen

Butcher and Blackbird- Bryn Weaver

Tourist Season- Bryn Weaver

Sinners Retreat, Slay Ride, Ship Happens, Slaughter Park- Lauren Biel

What We Need- Lizzie Stanley

The Predator- RuNyx

Lord Series, The Ritual, Chantelle Tessier

Haunting Adeline- H D Carlton

Hunting Adeline- H D Carlton

Sanctuary of Lies- J Rose

Feather so Vicious/ Shadow so Cruel- Liv Zanders

Dark romance and romantasy meets Telestrations on this week's Spicy Librarian - we're drawing tropes, guessing characters, and somehow attempting to pitch the next New York Times bestselling romance novel. We cover romantasy and dark romance rounds, weekly reading recaps, and watch the whole thing descend into glorious bookish chaos.

This week on Spicy Librarian, we played Telestrations, that random game from primary school where you draw a section of a thing, fold the page and pass it on. But we made it bookish and spicy. We took the most iconic tropes, characters, and moments from dark romance and romantasy and decided to see if we could plot the next New York Times bestseller, but probably not. We do tropes, settings, plot twists and pairings, triggers and memorable quotes- and watched the whole thing descend into absolute bookish chaos. Let us know if you think our pitch has legs, better yet, write it yourself.

00:00 — Welcome to the Spicy Librarian Podcast 00:22 — Katie's Reading Recap: What's Been on Her TBR This Week 13:19 — Dee's Reading Recap: What Dee Has Been Reading 25:27 — Telestrations: The Bookish Spicy Edition Begins 26:37 — Romantasy Round: Tropes, Characters & Chaos 36:40 — Dark Romance Round: Plot Twists, Triggers & Memorable Quotes 49:50 — See You Next Week

Books mentioned-

YesterYear- Caro Claire Burke

The Voice- Maggie Ray Jones

Heavy- ML Burns

The Dorians- Nick Cutter

Black Phone- Joe Hill

Remarkably Bright Creatures- Shelby Van Pelt

Direbound/ Furybound- Sable Sorenson

Regretting you- Colleen Hoover

A Stage Set for Villains- Shannon J. Spann

Pieces of the Night- Jennifer Hartman

Branded- Saffron A Kent

Ravenous- Thea Lawrence

Crown Me Dead- Liv Zander

Harvest Season- Brynn Weaver

Butcher and Blackbird- Bryne Weaver

Thursday Murder Club- Richard Osman

Metal Slinger /Light Wielder- Rachel Schneider

If you loved this episode follow the podcast so you never miss a drop, leave us a review, it genuinely means the world, and head to our website or Instagram for more details on everything we have coming up. We'll see you next Thursday.

The May book club is here and besties, this month's picks were a whole lot.

But first, we're pulling back the curtain on what is coming up for The Spicy Librarian. It's our birthday month in July, we have events in the pipeline, and things are getting very exciting around here. We are not ready to spill everything just yet but we wanted to bring you into it because you lot are the whole reason any of this exists.

Consider this your official heads up. Stay close. 👀

But book club! We're talking The Auction by Sadie Kincaid - Beauty and the Beast meets dark mafia romance, a scarred billionaire, a secret brotherhood, and a slow burn so tense we needed a moment, and a lively debate about condiments. Then Starside by Alex Aster - the enemies-to-lovers romantasy that has absolutely taken over our bookshelves and for very good reason. And finally The Stopover by T.L. Swan - the book that has converted more people to contemporary romance than almost anything else on BookTok, and yes, we have feelings about it. If you haven't listened to our episode with TL Swan- get to know.

Three completely different vibes. Three books that divided the room. Three books we could not shut up about. This is exactly what book club is for.

Books mentioned- 

The Auction- Sade Kincaid

Starside- Alex Aster

The Stop Over- TL Swan

Made Man Series- Danielle Lori

Crescent City- S J Maas

June Book Club-

A Stage Set for Villains- Shannon J. Spann

Pieces of the Night- Jennifer Hartman

Branded- Saffron A Kent

Perfect for fans of: book club, dark romance, romantasy, contemporary romance, The Auction, Sadie Kincaid, Starside, Alex Aster, The Stopover, TL Swan, Miles High Club, mafia romance, enemies to lovers, slow burn, BookTok, spicy books, spicy podcast

Slaglines: We Wrapped Books, We Gave Clues & Absolutely Nobody Was Helpful

We invented a game. We wrapped books in brown paper, gave each other the most unhinged clues imaginable, and made each other guess the title. We're calling it Slaglines - a love letter to the tagline and an absolute disaster of an episode in the best possible way.

This week's lineup was a lot. We had a tattooed bad boy demon with witchy enemies-to-lovers energy, little women but make it vampire, a bored gay werewolf, a shy trans banshee, a deeply unsettling crawl space, and a boyfriend who is giving very strong fish. You know the kind.

If you think you could have guessed these faster than us - get in the comments and tell us. We are competitive and we will take that personally.

 

Books mentioned- 

Starside- Alex Aster

Here One Moment - Liane Moriarty

What have you done- Shari Lapena

Miles High Series- TL Swan

Direbound/ Furybound- Sable Sorensen

Crown me Dead/ Crown me Yours- Liv Zanders

Crawl Space- Herbert Lieberman

There’s Something Fishy About My Boyfriend- Gloria Duke

Zodiac Academy- Twisted Sisters

Fourth Wing- Rebecca Yarros

Magnolia Parks- Jessa Hastings 

Demon with Benefits- Aurora Asher

Little Vampire Women- Lynn Messina

Bored Gay Werewolf- Tony Santorella

Shy Trans Banshee- Tony Santorella

Look. It's the April book club roundup. We know. We're late. We're had a lot going on. 

This month we went three very different directions and we have absolutely no regrets. We're talking Three Nights in Stockholm by Elizabeth Hardy — the snowed-in, slow burn, enemies to lovers romance that had us feral from page one. Then The Poison Daughter by Sheila Masterson — dark, twisty, and not what we expected in the best possible way. And finally Collateral Damage by Shassii — a sapphic erotic thriller with Stockholm syndrome, enemies to lovers, extreme slow burn, and two completely broken women who will absolutely wreck you. This one is not for the faint hearted and we are obsessed with it.

Three books. Three completely different vibes. One very chaotic book club. This is exactly why we do this.

Perfect for fans of: book club, dark romance, sapphic romance, enemies to lovers, slow burn, contemporary romance, BookTok, spicy books, Three Nights in Stockholm, Elizabeth Hardy, Poison Daughter, Sheila Masterson, Collateral Damage, Shassii, queer romance, spicy podcast

She is one of the biggest names in contemporary romance, and this week she is sitting down with us on Spicy Librarian- and yes, we are absolutely fangirling.

T.L. Swan has built an empire of swoony, steamy, emotionally devastating contemporary romance- and the world is finally catching up. We are talking about her latest releases, including The Heart You Kept, the first in her brand new Kings of the Riviera series, and the news that has the entire romance community absolutely losing their minds- the Miles High Club series is being adapted for Amazon MGM Studios, with TL Swan herself as executive producer.

We get into all of it. The books, the adaptation, what contemporary romance with real edge actually looks like, and why this genre deserves so much more credit than it gets in the spicy book community.

And the real question this episode -is Dee converted?! She came in a sceptic. We are not going to spoil it. You are going to have to listen.

Perfect for fans of: T.L. Swan, Miles High Club, The Stopover, The Heart You Kept, Kings of the Riviera, contemporary romance, Amazon Prime, book to TV adaptation, BookTok, spicy books, romance podcast, Spicy Librarian

Subscribe, leave us a review — and tell us, are YOU a TL Swan convert?

We did it. Our very first Spicy Librarian subscription book box is here - and in this episode, we’re talking about ALL of it.

We’re taking you behind the scenes of what went into creating this box, what we wanted it to represent, what’s inside, and why we chose _*What We Need *_ by Lizzie Stanley as our very first pick. This project means so much to us, and we wanted to properly share the thought, care and intention behind it.

We also know there has been conversation around the box not being what some people expected. We’re addressing that openly, honestly and directly - because transparency matters to us, and so does our community. From the beginning, this box was designed to be a curated reading experience centred around exclusive content, community and discovering incredible romance stories, and we stand proudly by that vision.

This episode is for everyone who received a box, everyone considering joining us in future, and everyone who wants to understand more about what we’re building with The Spicy Librarian. We see you, we appreciate you, and we’re so excited for what comes next.

 

Books mentioned- 

The Stopover- TL Swan

Nocticadia by Keri Lake

The Long Game- Rachel Reid

The Auction - Sadie Kincaid

Starside- Alex Aster

What We Need- Lizzie Stanley

Perfect for fans of: Spicy Librarian podcast, book boxes, subscription boxes, Lizzie Stanley, What We Need, Wishbone Tattoos series, dark romance, BookTok, spicy books, book community, book unboxing, indie romance

Subscribe, leave us a review — and if you got a box, we want to hear from you.

Your favourite chaotic besties are back, and we have a LOT to talk about.

This episode is pure unfiltered Spicy Librarian- no books to review, no guests to impress, just us sitting down for a proper catch-up with the people who make this whole thing worth doing. That's you, by the way. We see you.

We're getting into all the exciting things we have cooking behind the scenes and trust us, the pipeline is looking very spicy right now. We've also got shop and events updates, because things are moving and you are going to want to know about it.

And then there's the Maasquerade Ball. Our masquerade event for the ACOTAR 6 release in October- we are talking details, we are talking chaos, we are talking the event that SJM herself would approve of. Probably. We'd like to think so.

We've also been completely overwhelmed by the gorgeous comments and messages we've had over the past few months and we needed to take a minute to respond to them properly- because you lot are genuinely the best community on the internet and we mean that with our whole hearts.

This is the episode where we just talk. And honestly? You are welcome. 

Perfect for fans of: Spicy Librarian podcast, ACOTAR, Sarah J Maas, ACOTAR 6, BookTok, dark romance community, romantasy, book events, spicy books, book podcast

Subscribe, leave us a review and if you've sent us a lovely message recently, this one's for you.

This or that: bookish edition. We are settling scores today and we're serious about it. This is the most fun episode, and with your help, a segment we feel will be sticking around. 

This episode we are playing the ultimate bookish this or that game, and the opinions were STRONG. Standalone or 5-part series? Rather meet your favourite author or character? and a bonus f*ck, marry, kill. We went through the choices, we argued, we disagreed, and at one point things got genuinely heated, and we are not sorry.

Whether you have been in the book community for years or you just finished your first spicy read- you are going to have thoughts on these picks. Get in the comments and tell us where you stand because we want the discourse.

This is the most fun episode we have ever recorded and that is saying something.

Perfect for fans of: BookTok, book games, this or that, dark romance, romantasy, contemporary romance, spicy books, book discourse, spicy podcast

Books discussed in this episode: Poison Daughter by Sheila Masterson, Three Nights in Stockholm by Elizabeth Hardy, Collateral Damage by Shassii, Twisted Pawn by LJ Shen, Between the Pines by Amber Palmer, The Wings That Bind by Briar Boleyn, Rites of the Starling by Briar Boleyn, A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas, Magnolia Parks: Into the Dark by Jess Hastings, Here One Moment by Liane Moriarty, Kiss of the Basilisk & Between Two Kings by Lindsay Straube

Summer is coming and so is our reading list- but no, they aren't all beach reads. 

Think less chilled rosé on a sun lounger, more completely feral about fictional men and refusing to put books down until 3 am. We know summer makes people think of light and breezy reads- but this is the Spicy Librarian, so this is less of a Summer TBR and more a list of books we are really freaking excited to read this summer. From dark to dystopian, from romantasy to the genuinely bizarre- this is what we'll have our heads buried in for the next few months.

Some fan favourites are back with second instalments we have been desperately waiting for, some stand alones have absolutely taken the world by storm, and somehow Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke ended up on the list and we are not explaining ourselves. We're diving into Dire Bound and Fury Bound by Sable Sorensen, losing our minds over Seek the Traitor's Son by Veronica Roth, and absolutely spiralling over Sour Fruit by Ahana Virdi- and that is just the beginning.

If your TBR is already suffering, we are so sorry. We are not sorry.

Perfect for fans of: BookTok, spicy books, book recommendations, spicy podcast

Books discussed: Magnolia Parks by Jess Hastings

Broken Bonds by J Bree

Shark Heart by Emily Habeck

Nightshade & Daybreak by Autumn Woods

Blood Orange by Harriet Tyce

Dire Bound & Fury Bound by Sable Sorensen

Honeysuckle by Bar Fridman-Tell

Half City by Kate Golden

Conform by Ariel Sullivan

Of Flames and Fallacies by Courtney Whims

When the Moon Hatched & Ballad of the Fallen Dragon by Sarah A. Parker

Ruinous Creatures by Jessi Cole Jackson

Seek the Traitor's Son by Veronica Roth

Sour Fruit by Ahana Virdi

In Her Own League by Liz Tomforde

Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke

You know that pain you feel when someone trashes your God Tier reads?

Yeah. That's this episode.

This week on Spicy Librarian we are facing it head-on- reading out the one-star reviews of our absolute five-star books and defending them to the community. Some of these reviewers had valid points. Some clearly had no idea what they were picking up. And some have a LOT of big feelings about books we would die for.

As do we.

We're going to bat for Heated Rivalry by Rachel Reid, A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J. Maas, Haunting Adeline by H.D. Carlton, Feathers So Vicious by Liv Zander, A Ship of Bones and Teeth by Karina Halle, The Knight and the Moth by Rachel Gillig, and Kiss of the Basilisk by Lindsay Straube — and we are not backing down without a fight.

Is the criticism fair? Sometimes.

Is it going to change how we feel about these books? Absolutely not.

Come argue with us.

Perfect for fans of: book discourse, one star reviews, Haunting Adeline, H.D. Carlton, A Court of Silver Flames, ACOTAR, Sarah J. Maas, Heated Rivalry, Rachel Reid, Feathers So Vicious, Liv Zander, A Ship of Bones and Teeth, Karina Halle, Kiss of the Basilisk, Lindsay Straube, Rachel Gillig, dark romance, romantasy, MM romance, spicy books, BookTok, book podcast

Heated Rivalry- Rachel Reid

A Court of Silver Flames- S.J. Mass

Haunting Adeline- H. D Carlton

Feather so Vicious- Liv Zander

A Ship of Bones and Teeth- Karina Halle

Night and the Moth- Rachel Gilling

Kiss of the Basilisk- Lindsay Straube

Blood Wing Academy- Briar Boleyn

Poison Daughter- Shelia Masterson

Collateral Damage- Stassi

Shield of Sparrows / Rights of the Starling- Devney Perry

I Got Abducted By Aliens, And Now I’m In A Rom-Com- Kimberly Lemming

Wrath of an Exile- Monty Jay

The Hollow Boys- Monty Jay

The Wytchling Chronicles

Basted- Abby Hunter

*Content Warning*

We discuss themes of suicide, sexual violence and sexual assault within literary fiction.

This week on Spicy Librarian, Dee and Katie are joined by the wildly unapologetic CJ Riggs for an episode that is chaotic, hilarious, and just a little bit feral—in the best possible way.

CJ Riggs is redefining erotic horror, serving up stories that are equal parts spicy, disturbing, and completely unhinged. In this no-filter conversation, we dive headfirst into the deliciously dark world of erotic horror—what it is, why readers can’t get enough, and how CJ is gleefully pushing every boundary she can find (and then some).

Expect unfiltered opinions, questionable tangents, lots of laughs, and behind-the-scenes insights into the life of an indie author doing things her own way. We also get the inside scoop on her current projects, what’s coming next, and how she plans to keep shocking—and hooking—readers.

If you like your books dark, your conversations chaotic, and your authors completely unhinged… this one’s for you.

Perfect for fans of: CJ Riggs, erotic horror, dark romance, indie authors, spicy horror, horror romance, book marketing, indie publishing, BookTok, author interviews, and beautifully chaotic energy.

BOOKS MENTIONED RIP, Skeleton King - Charity B Harleigh Beck- Collected Works CJ Riggs- Collected Works Ignite- Melaine Harlow Heartless- Elsie Silver Flawless - Elsie Silver Wait With Me- Amy Daws Joe Hill Collected Works The Final Girls Support Group, How to Sell a Haunted House- Grady Hendrix  Intensity- Dean Koontz The Surgeon, The Apprentice- Tess Gerritsen

We said what we said. And we are not taking it back.

This week on Spicy Librarian Podcast, Katie, Dee and backup, are doing something dangerous: sharing our most unpopular book opinions. The ones you whisper. The ones that get you cancelled in the group chat. We are saying them out loud, and we are standing by every single one.

We're getting into to whether or not we want Xaden to die? Is Throne of Glass overhyped? Why are fated mates always resurrected? Do we want male models on our book covers, especially if we're going outside to read... ?

Not everyone is getting a glowing review. Some of these are beloved. Some of these are untouchable. We touched them anyway.

Do we feel bad? Absolutely not. Is this the most chaotic, most honest episode we've ever recorded? Genuinely yes.

If your favourite book is on this list, we still love you. We just have thoughts.

Perfect for fans of: book discourse, unpopular opinions, Fourth Wing, ACOTAR, Throne of Glass, Sarah J Maas, Rebecca Yarros, Callie Hart, Brimstone, Heated Rivalry, Rachel Reid, Under Your Scars, One Day, BookTok, dark romance, romantasy, spicy books, book podcast

Books Mentioned

Fourth Wing- Rebecca Yarros

Throne of Glass- S.J. Maas

ACOTAR- S. J. Maas

One Day- David Nicholls

Brimstone- Callie Hart

Heated Rivalry- Rachel Reid

Ben Alderson (Author Shout out)

Under Your Scars- Ariel N Anderson

Three books. Three genres. One episode that has absolutely everything.

This month's Spicy Librarian book club is serving a full course meal - we've got dark romance, romantasy, AND contemporary, and every single pick delivered.

First up, Bloody Black by Rhiannon Hargadon - a pirate dark fantasy retelling of Blackbeard that we did not see coming for us but here we are. Feminine rage, revenge, a slow burn that respects the trauma, and a found family crew we would absolutely sail with. Morally grey and magnificently unhinged in all the right ways.

Then we dive into The Games Gods Play by Abigail Owen - the Greek gods romantasy that has taken over BookTok and rightfully so. Hades. A cursed nobody chosen as his champion. A deadly competition for the throne of Olympus. Enemies to lovers with world building that genuinely slaps. We have thoughts. Many thoughts.

And finally, something a little softer for our hearts - The Dating Pact by Lulu Morris. A nurse. A very drunk, very famous actor. A fake dating arrangement that was never going to stay fake. Warm, funny, swoony, and exactly the palate cleanser we needed after the pirates and gods.

This episode has range and we are not sorry about it.

Perfect for fans of: dark romance, romantasy, contemporary romance, fake dating, enemies to lovers, Greek mythology, Hades romance, pirate romance, Rhiannon Hargadon, Abigail Owen, Lulu Morris, BookTok, spicy books, book club, slow burn, found family, spicy podcast

Subscribe, leave us a review, and tell us - which of this month's picks are you adding to your TBR first?

BOOKS DISCUSSED- 

A Touch of Darkness- Scarlett St. Clair

Crescent City- S.J. Maas

God of Malice- Rina Kent

Speak- Ruby M. Darling

Stammer- Ruby M. Darling

Black Throne J.T. Geisinger

It's giving green flag. Actually no. RED FLAG. Actually… both??

This week on Spicy Librarian we are settling the debate once and for all — because we are taking the most iconic romance tropes and deciding, definitively, whether they are a green flag or a red flag. And yes, things got heated.

Enemies to lovers? Second chance romance? Instalove? The possessive MMC? We are going through them all, we are arguing about them, and absolutely nobody agreed on everything. This is the episode where our friendship was tested and we do not regret a single second of it.

Whether you are a ride or die for the slow burn or you will defend age gap romance to your last breath — this episode is going to have you screaming at your phone. We want to know your flags too, so get in the comments and defend your tropes, besties.

This is the most fun we have ever had and it shows.

Subscribe, leave us a review, and tell us — what trope is an automatic green flag for you? And which one sends you running?

Perfect for fans of: romance tropes, red flags green flags, enemies to lovers, second chance romance, slow burn, BookTok, dark romance, spicy books, instalove, why choose, romance podcast, book discussions, trope discourse, spicy librarian

 

BOOKS DISCUSSED- 

Play Along- Liz Tomford

Bull Rush- Maggie Rawdon

Daggermouth- H. D. Wolfe 

Zodiac Academy- Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti

Little Stranger- Leigh Rivers 

Speak- Ruby M. Darling 

Games Gods Play- Abigail Owen 

Bloody Black- Rhiannon Hargadon

Dreamland Billionaires Series- Lauren Asher 

Under Yours Scars- Ariel N. Anderson

 

This week on Spicy Librarian, Dee and Katie are sitting down with the incredibly talented J Rose- UK indie author, dark romance queen, and the woman behind the internationally bestselling Blackwood Institute series. And yes, we are absolutely fangirling. J Rose writes challenging, plot-driven dark romance packed with angst, heartbreak, and broken characters fighting for their happily ever afters. As a passionate mental health advocate, she weaves realistic and powerful representation into gritty, emotional storylines; championing found family, fierce heroines, and love interests who are just as damaged as they are devoted. In this exclusive interview, we get into the Blackwood Institute universe, dark, twisty, why choose romance with morally grey antiheroes, a fierce scarred heroine, and plot twists that will absolutely ruin you, her expanding world of interconnected series, her current and upcoming projects, and what is coming next. We also dig into the world of why choose romance; what it is, why readers are completely obsessed, and why J Rose does it better than almost anyone in the game right now. If you haven't entered the Blackwood Institute yet, consider this your sign. And if you have - you already know. Perfect for fans of: J Rose, Blackwood Institute, why choose romance, dark romance, reverse harem, morally grey, found family, indie author spotlight, BookTok, dark romance podcast, UK authors, spicy books, broken characters

We need to talk. Because this episode went fully, completely, unapologetically off the rails — and we are not sorry.

 

The episode you have all been waiting for, we are talking about the most chaotic, feral, and genuinely WHAT DID I JUST READ books we have ever picked up. Dark romance lovers, morally grey girlies, and "I read the trigger warnings and said yes anyway" readers — this one is absolutely for you.

We're shouting out Little Stranger by Leigh Rivers, That Sik Luv by Jescie Hall, Insatiable by Leigh Rivers, Open Wide by Jessica Gross, Lobster by Guillaume Lecasble, and Unhinged by Vera Valentine — and yes, we absolutely went there with every single one.

 

Oh, and because we cannot help ourselves — we also got into a full breakdown of exactly how many people were having sex on the Titanic before, during, and after impact. But was it relevant?  Yes. Did we spiral into a 20 minute tangent about it? Also yes. No regrets.

This is the episode we were always going to make. We're just glad you're here for it.

Make sure to update your TBR and tag us in what you’re reading next.

 

Perfect for fans of: dark romance, taboo romance, stalker romance, morally grey MMC, Leigh Rivers, Jescie Hall, spicy books, BookTok, unhinged reads, weird girl lit, sentient romance, spicy podcast

Your favourite chaotic book besties are back!

There is so so much going on we can’t tell you fast enough, from book club and releasing new events and the fact we can’t keep books on the shelf for longer than 5 hours!

Keep your eyes on our socials and stay close. Don't say we didn't warn you. 👀

We've also got exciting reads lined up for future book clubs that we can't spill on just yet — but trust us, your TBR is about to suffer beautifully.

Now. Let's talk about Melting Point by Cici Williams.

This month's book club pick had us in an absolute CHOKEHOLD. Set against the glittering chaos of the Winter Olympics in Italy, this best-friends-to-lovers, fake-dating slow burn follows snowboarder Sam Harrington and her lifelong best friend Finn — who just happens to have been secretly in love with her for years. When their team sponsorship falls through, they agree to fake a relationship to save everything. What could possibly go wrong? (Everything. Beautifully, deliciously everything.)

And because we love you, we sat down with author Cici Williams herself for an exclusive interview- we talked the Olympics setting, the slow burn, THAT tension, everything in between AND the very exciting updates on what Cici is up next and very soon! This one is genuinely unmissable.

Perfect for fans of: fake dating, best friends to lovers, slow burn romance, sports romance, contemporary romance, spicy books, BookTok, Melting Point, Cici Williams, winter romance, romantasy, spicy romance podcast

Are you obsessed with morally grey love interests, enemies-to-lovers slow burns, and magic systems that somehow make you feel things? You're in the right place.

In this episode of Spicy Librarian, we're diving deep into the world of romantasy, where fantasy worldbuilding meets heart-racing romance, and unpacking what these stories really say about love, desire, and feminine rage. From fae courts to dragon riders, we're talking tropes, must-read recommendations, and why romantasy has completely taken over our bookshelves (and our hearts).

Whether you're a longtime fantasy reader finally ready to embrace the romance, a die-hard romance fan stepping into magical new worlds, or you just finished Fourth Wing and don't know what to do with yourself — this episode is for you.

In this episode we cover: Trending romantasy reads and authors to know, the relationship dynamics that make us feral, fantasy romance vs. romantasy. What's the difference?, and our top picks for every kind of reader.

Perfect for fans of: Sarah J. Maas, Rebecca Yarros, booktok, bookstagram, fantasy romance, slow burn, spicy books, and enemies to lovers.

After the most chaotic week on record, we finally got to sit down and record in our brand new shop. The Spicy Librarian is officially open, up and running. Join D and Katie for a debrief of a chaotic, wholesome week and opening weekend! 

Join D and Katie this week as they talk all things dark romance- from the rise of dark romance as it takes its place in traditional publishing to the power in reclaiming the narrative, we explore what dark romance means to us. 

This week, join D and Katie as they discuss all things BookTok and Bookstagram, the good, the bad, and the ugly; from influencer culture to demystifying indie publishing, the trends we've all seen (and loved to) and our dream fancasts. Enjoy this joyful and chaotic discussion of online communities and why we're all here. 

Join us this week for our weekly catch-up and book club review of B. A. Pepper's Indie debut novel 'Daughter of Stone'

This week, D and Katie break down all things romance, chat all things sub-genres and tropes, their favourites and what's on the TBR for '26. 

 

Episode 1: Welcome to the first episode of The Spicy Librarian podcast! Join us as we discuss our top romance books for each month of 2025 and which book was voted Book of the Year by our online community